Laminating-embossing roller system with adjustable deflection of strip



Feb. 27, 1968 H. J. SCHNEIDER LAMINAIING-EMBOSSING ROLLER SYSTEM WITH ADJUSTABLE DEFLECTION OF STRIP Filed Sept 20 1965 United States Fatent O 3,370,528 LAMINATING-EMBOSSING ROLLER SYSTEM WITH ADJUSTABLE DEFLECTION OF STRIP Hans J. Schneider, Arlington Heights, 11]., assignor to Pre-Finish Metals Incorporated, Elk Grove Village, 11].,

a corporation of Illinois Filed Sept. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 488,396 7 Claims. (Cl. 100-173) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus is supplied for use in a plant wherein a material is applied to a strip of metal or a strip of metal coated with material is processed. This apparatus includes a frame and a pair of spaced idler rollers rotatably mounted on the frame. The rollers are spaced from each other and positioned transverse to the path of travel of the strip with one side of each roller in juxtaposition to the path in contact with the strip. A working couple comprising a backup roll and a pressure roll are afiixed at opposite ends to a pair of opposed carriages. The carriages are movably mounted on the frame and connected to a jack shaft so that the rolls move in unison with respect to the frame. These rolls define a nip through which the strip passes. The rolls are positioned between the idler rollers and movable in a vertical plane thereby controlling the extent of area of contact between the strip and one of the rolls. The frame is mounted on a base for a pivotal movement about a vertical axis whereby the frame can float on the base and is self-aligning with respect to the strip.

The present invention relates to an apparatus useful in the coating of metal strip as well as in the embossing or printing of a coated metal strip.

While in the main, finish coatings are applied to objects after they have been fabricated, there is a growing segment of manufacture wherein the finish coating is applied to the metal before the metal is fabricated into the finished object. This latter procedure is being followed for a number of reasons. Perhaps the most significant reason is a matter of economics, and the ability to continuously apply a coating which is securely bonded to the metal and which will not be dislodged by the subsequent manufacturing operations. Also, the thickness of the coating may be precisely controlled. The coating of the metal may be applied by applying the coating material on the metal strip as by means of spraying, roll coating, extruding, power coating, laminating, etc. In many instances, the coating is embossed to give a decorative appearance thereto, as for example, an embossing to simulate the appearance of leather. Designs may be applied to the coating as by way of printing. This can be done either alone or in conjunction with the embossing.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which is of universal application in connection with these various operations performed in conjunction with the coating of metal. The usual procedure is to carry out these various operations with different pieces of equipment. This is because an apparatus suitable for laminating, for example, would not be the best to use for embossing. Even a piece of apparatus designed for embossing may work more or less successfully, depending upon the embossing pattern, the depth of pattern, the thicknesses of the film and metal, the type of film, the type of bond between the two, etc. In the present invention, the apparatus may be easily and quickly adjusted to be most suitable for the type of operation being performed.

A further object and advantage of the present invention is that it does not create special strip alignment problems of its own. It may be installed on any existing processing 3,370,528 Pal-tented- Feb. 27, 1968 line, wherein the metal strip is moved along a path from one point to another.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an end elevation of an embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section, as viewed along line 22 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURES 3-5 are diagrammatic illustrations of the use of the embodiment of FIGURE 1.

Although the following disclosure offered for public dissemination is detailed to ensure adequacy and aid understanding, this is not intended to prejudice that purpose of a patent which is to cover each new inventive concept therein no matter how others may later disguise it by variations in form or additions or further improvements. The claims at the end hereof are intended as the chief aid toward this purpose; as it is these that meet the requirement of pointing out the parts, improvements, or combinations in which the inventive concepts are found.

A frame, generally 10, is mounted on a base 11. The frame includes a bottom plate 12, which is pivotally connected to base 11 by pin 13. Bottom plate 12 has a slot 14 which is an arc about pin 13. A bolt 15 extends through slot 14 and is threaded into base 11. When bolt 15 is tightened, it prevents any pivotal movement of the frame 10 with respect to base 11.

Frame 19 includes four siderails 17, having guides or ways 18 thereon. At opposite sides of the machines are carriages 19 with slots 20 into which guides 18 are received. The two carriages 19 are connected by a top plate or yoke 21 and by shafts 22 and 23. A backup roll 24 is rotatably mounted on shaft 22. A pressure roll 25 is secured to shaft 23. Shaft 23 is journaled in the carriages 19 and by means of a clutch 26 is selectively connected to a power means such as motor 27. Whether or not the roll 25 is driven by the motor 27 or merely by its frictional contact with strip 35 will depend upon the operation being performed by the apparatus.

A jack shaft 30 is rotatably connected to top plate 21. The jack shaft is threaded into hub 31 secured to frame 10. Means, such as handle 32, is connected to jack shaft 30 to rotate the same. Of course, as the jack shaft is rotated it moves upwardly or downwardly in the frame (depending on the direction of rotation) because of the mounting in hub 31.

The pair of idler rollers 34 are rotatably mounted between siderails 17 at opposite sides of the two rolls 24, 25. The idler rollers have their top sides in a common plane and define a guide for strip 35 as it enters and leaves the apparatus. Within the apparatus the strip 35 passes through a nip 33 between rolls 24 and 25. Normally the alignment of the strip 35, as it enters and leaves, will be determined by other factors. The apparatus can be mounted, at the time of installation, in a manner such as to accommodate the position of rolls 34 to this alignment of strip 35 otherwise deter-mined. The strip 35 is moved longitudinally through the apparatus by a pulling means, not shown. Strip 35 has two faces 35a and 35b and two edges 35c and 35d.

In the embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 2, the pressure roll 25 is in the form of an embossing roll. Strip 35 has a plastic coating on the upper face 35a thereof. While in the soft condition this plastic coating is brought into contact with embossing roll 25 so as to produce marks therein which simulate the appearance of leather.

It will be noted that because of the position of carriages 19 with respect to idler rolls 34, the strip 35 is in contact with embossing roll 25 over nearly half of the circumference of the latter. Thus, there is a relatively long contact time between the plastic coating on strip 35 and the ema bossing roll. This is advantageous in some embossing operations so as to give the plastic adequate time to be moved into the desired configuration. It also has a disadvantage, which may be particularly critical in some embossing operations, that the periphery of the embossing roll moves at a lineal speed slower than the lineal speed of the metal portion of strip 35 for a substantial distance. In some instances, this factor tends to cause a slipping of the plastic coating on the metal strip (loss of adhesion) and/ or a plastic build-up on the embossing roll. Also, the speed differentials may result in pattern distortion. Where these latter factors are critical, the extent to which the strip 35 moves about the periphery of the embossing roll 25, should be reduced, to a greater. or less extent. This is done by raising the carriages and rolls 24, 25 to a greater or less extent. The range of contact that may be obtained between the strip 35 and the pressure roll 25 is virtually infinite. This is illustrated by FIGURES 3-5. In some instances strip 35 will slope downwardly toward the entry end (the right in FIGURE 3) and it may be advisable to have the entry roller 34 slightly lower than the exit roller 34.

FIGURE 3 illustrates how the apparatus would be employed for straight-through embossing or laminating. Actually, some operators may prefer to raise the carriages to a point such that the strip 35 does not Contact rollers 34. The film 36 to be laminated to an adhesive coated strip 35 is brought in about a system of idler rollers represented by idler roller 37, and thence about pressure roll 25, which is in the form of a laminating roll. As the film 36 and the strip 35 moves into the bite between rolls 24 and 25, they are pressed together with adhesion occurring to hold them in place. Provision would be made for heating and/r cooling rolls 24 and 25 as might be made necessary by the various operations to be performed on the apparatus.

FIGURE 4 illustrates lamination being carried out under circumstances wherein a greater pressure contact time between the strip 35 and the film 36 is desired. The two rolls 24 and 25 have been lowered with respect to rollers 34 from the position illustrated in FIGURE 3. Thus, strip 35 moves about a greater proportion of the circumference of roll 25. This, of course, increases the time during which a pressure contact is obtained between the film 36 and the strip 35. While the main pressure contact is at the bite, or nip 33 between rolls 24 and 25, there is pressure contact during all of the time that strip 35 is in contact with the periphery of roll 25. This is due to the fact that the means pulling on the strip 35, so as to move it along its path, draws the strip up into firm contact with roll 25 to the extent determined by the vertical position of carriages 19.

FlGURE illustrates a setup similar to that of FIG- URES 1 and 2, except that a valley printing operation is being performed along with the embossing. That is, the peaks of the embossing roll are being coated with a coloring material which then is deposited in the valleys made by the embossing roll in the film on the face 35a of strip 35. The coloring material is held in a trough 3S. ThLS coloring material is lifted out of the trough on the surface of'roll 39. It is transferred to distributing roll 40, distributing roll 41 and thus to the peaks of the embossing roll 25.

The pivotal adjustment provided by pin 13 permits the operator to be sure that the strip 35 runs true through the apparatus. Other means, not shown, will be used to hold the strip approximately to the desired path. Despite such means there may be a tendency for the strip to move sidewise as the apparatus is operated. This can vary with the operation and normally can be corrected by a slight pivotal resetting of frame 16. In some embodiments it may be advantageous to permit the apparatus to selfalign'itself with the metal strip. To this end the mating faces of base 11 and bottom plate are finished to a high degree of smoothness. When t ese faces are lubricated d and bolt 15 is loosened the plate 12 will float on the base 11 and the apparatus will align itself to strip 35.

In some embodiments the top plate 21 will be eliminated and each carriage 19 will be supported by a separate jack shaft 30. While the jack shafts will be interconnected for rotation in unison under normal conditions, provision will be made so that they can be rotated separately.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for use in a plant wherein a material is applied to a strip of metal or a strip of metal coated with material is processed, while said strip is moved along a predetermined path, said apparatus comprising: a frame; a pair of idler rollers rotatably mounted on said frame, said rollers being spaced from each other and positioned transverse to said path with one side of each roller in juxaposition to said path in contact with said strip and with a portion of the path being between said sides of the rollers; a backup roll rotatable about an axis and positioned be-' tween said rollers and parallel thereto; a pressure r-oll rotatable about an axis and positioned parallel to said backup roll and at the oppositeside of said path; said rolls being positioned so that said axes are in a plane intersecting said path and forming a nip through which nip the strip passes; and means interconnecting and supporting the rolls and connected to said frame for simultaneous movement of said rolls with respect to said path in a direction such that said axes remain in said plane to move the position of the nip with respect to said side of the rollers; whereby the extent of the area of contact between a roll and the strip may be varied without changing said path outside of said portion.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said path is approximately horizontal and said plane is approximately vertical.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein a base is provided upon which said frame is rotatable about a vertical axis positioned at one side of the mid point of said rolls whereby the frame floats on the base and is selfaligning with respect to the strip.

4. In an apparatus for printing, laminating, embossing and the like on metal strip using a pressure roll and a backup roll forming a working couple with a nip therebetween and having idler rolls at opposite sides of said working couple to define a path for the strip going to and coming from the working couple, the improvement comprising: means supporting the rolls of the working couple for simultaneous movement of position with respect to the position of the idler rolls to change the extent to which the strip contacts the pressure roll without materially changing said path to and from the apparatus.

5. An apparatus for use in a plant where a material is applied to a strip of metal or a strip of metal coated with material is processed and wherein said strip leaves a first point for movement to a second point along a given path, said apparatus being adapted to be positioned between said points to act on the strip while in transit between said points, said strip having two faces and two edges, said apparatus including a frame through which said strip passes while moving between said points; a pressure roll in the frame and extending transversely to the strip in contact with one face of the strip; a backup roll in the frame and extending transversely to the strip in contact with the other face of the strip; said rolls defining a nip through which the strip passes; said frame including two carriages, one being at each end respectively of the rolls, said carriages being moveable in a plane transverse to said strip, said rolls being journaled in said carriages and connected to the carriages for movement with the carriages; means connected to the carriages to simultaneously move the carriages to change the position of the nip in the frame; an idler roller rotatably mounted in the frame and positioned parallel to and at one side of said rolls; and a second idler roller journaled in the frame and positioned parellel to and at the opposite side of said rolls with the pressure roll moving between the idler rollers; said rollers having one side of each roller in contact with said other face of the strip at a position such that the nip, during said carriage movement, moves from a position adjacent said one side to a position adjacent the other side of the rollers; whereby as said nip is moved the extent to which the strip is in contact with the pressure roll is varied and the path of the strip between said points and said idler rollers is unchanged.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said points are at approximately equal elevation and said side of each roller is approximately at the same elevation, said nip being horizontal and moveably vertically with the movement of said carriages.

7. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said carriages are connected by a yoke.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 650,133 5/1900 Pace 100--169 X 657,028 8/1900 Pace 100-169 X 2,119,276 5/ 1938 Holland et al. 68-274 X 2,525,980 10/1950 Walters 100-164 2,680,468 6/1954 Lewis 100-162 X 3,108,034 10/1963 Hannon 156-582 3,129,457 4/1964 Carter et a1. 1810X 3,194,151 7/1965 Nelson 100-173 X 15 LOUIS o. MAASSEL, Primary Examiner. 

